Racing: Tardy start costs Calveen backers a fortune

Ellerslie starter Trevor Harrison stood by his controversial release of the Rich Hill Mile field yesterday - a split-second call rider Leith Innes is adamant cost Calveen backers a fortune.

Innes said he was screaming at Harrison to hold the field back when the even-money favourite began to play up in her stall.

Clearly unbalanced at the time, Calveen missed the kick completely, forcing Innes to rethink his battle plans near the tail.

Calveen charged home for third, finishing just half a head behind British Ensign at the line.

But eventual winner Belle Femme, who received a dream fence trip from Peter Johnson, had long since grabbed the winning break.

"I'm screaming out not to let us go, he [Harrison] heard me and let's me go," said a furious Innes, who stormed into the judicial room demanding to watch a head-on replay of the start seconds after weighing-in.

"You go watch the head-on for yourself. If she'd jumped with the rest of them she wins by two lengths. This shouldn't happen in a group two race."

Harrison stands by his decision and would do exactly the same thing if he had the race over.

"I've got 17 of them yelling out," said Harrison."I didn't hear Leith but also didn't notice Calveen any more unsettled than any of them."

Chief stipe Noel McCutcheon backed Harrison's release of the field after reviewing the tape of the $100,000 feature.

"In my opinion the starter is not at fault," he said. " You can't hold the race up for one horse. If you do that youll get the rest of them starting to play up. It's just very bad luck and one of those things that happen."

Belle Femme's co-owner and breeder, Joan Egan, admits her pre-race hopes of her mare placing at best soared when she saw Calveen's tardy jump.

But with the passage Johnson gave the Zeditave five-year-old, the Trevor and Stephen McKee-trained Belle Femme, who sprinted clear to win in a slick 1:33.61s, would have been unlucky to lose either way.

For Egan and co-owner Marilyn Kent the victory was easily the highlight of their racing careers.

"She didn't show us a lot when she started racing at three and I have to say we panicked slightly," said Egan.

"Given that she was Flying Babe's half-sister the pressure was on but Trevor and Stephen just said 'be patient, she just needs more time' and they were right."

The McKees were always confident of having Belle Femme peaking for yesterday's test.

Her fresh-up win at Ruakaka in September proved her class, the next four runs were merely tune-ups for the Rich Hill.